Three Massachusetts men are facing a series of drug charges after police found 100 bags of heroin that were believed to have been hidden inside a child's car seat earlier this week.
Shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, Springfield police said they executed a search warrant at a Belle Street apartment. Detectives recovered more than $1,800 in cash and took 51-year-old Carlos Rodriguez, who lives in the apartment, into custody.
About an hour later, detectives arrested two people who were allegedly working with Rodriguez — 42-year-old Pedro Benitez of Springfield and 49-year-old Pablo Torres — near the intersection of Wilbraham Road and Albemarle Street.
During a search of Benitez's car, police said they discovered a hidden compartment inside a child's car seat. Underneath the cushion, an area had been hollowed out to fit half packs of heroin. The compartment was empty at the time, but police said they ultimately recovered 106 bags of heroin and $2,463 in cash.
Rodriguez and Torres are both charged with two counts of distribution of a Class A drug, one count of possession with the intent to distribute a Class A drug and one count of conspiracy to violate narcotics laws.
Benitez requested medical attention and will be summoned to court to face charges at a later date.
